Subterfuge
by Overworkedunderwhelmed
Summary: Mama May takes a novel approach in training mastery of subterfuge to the base's newest couples. It is the ultimate challenge within a literal den of spies.


Jemma yawned, shrugging off the lassitude that kept her bound to the bed at Fitz's side overnight with the covers and pressing a quick kiss to the softer skin of his neck just above his collarbone and walked over to the shower.

Her relationship with Fitz was about as well kept as any secret could be within a spy agency. May rather conveniently turned an eye away from it, so long as it didn't adversely affect either of the work. Coulson was definitely aware, even mildly approving the relationship, but the fallout of Hive hearings had left a power void at the top of the agency. The wisest course of action was not to rock the boat-for now.

She dressed quickly, carrying her tablet to the door and looking as if she had spent all night on a rather pressing problem. Her eyes dropped focus for a fleeting moment, blushing. She couldn't help one last heated gaze at Fitz tangled up in their bed sheets before she moved to the lab.

It was true in a sense. They both had been up rather late evening-and for weeks and weeks before that.

It was so challenging to get some time to themselves, what with the pile of problems Radcliffe had left in Hive's wake. Unfortunately, it meant that she was currently borrowing against her normally regimented sleep reserves. They would spend time together until physically exhausted, and then cuddle up into bed, mulling over creative approaches to their problems. On occasion over the past months, the lines between the two blurred far more than she had ever anticipated.

And Fitz was nothing if not creative.

But the lack of sleep was definitely affecting her eyes. She could swear she just saw Mack grow blurry as she passed the hangar bay on the way to the lab. Dragging her knuckles over her eyelids, she blinked and kept walking.

Hopefully, Fitz wouldn't mind an evening cuddled up in bed for them both to recharge.

* * *

Elena smirked at the hangar bay door. Agent Simmons was nothing if not astute, and she hadn't quite picked up on her presence.

Agent May had suggested an alternate course in training to help her skills. She could operate at peak performance with her powers in two areas: continually improving her speed and endurance by sprints at discrete intervals and exercising subtlety. The speed and endurance were obvious. The more she had, the further and faster she could go. She continued to gain fractions of control and seconds by the day. But it was far more helpful if she could go about mostly undetected even after she had snapped back to her initial position.

The ultimate trial would be to go about undetected with those who knew her best. She had done a bit of homework and made her way down to the hangar bay this morning with a purpose.

* * *

Mack whistled as he lugged the box of parts back through the hangar. He had plans to re-tool the engines per Fitz's new specifications. It would have happened weeks ago if not for the extended repair needed to the roof.

He had been coming down here early for days to try to get the new fleet of planes operational as soon as possible. Fitz and Simmons were vastly overdue for a vacation, and both would balk at the premise of taking one of the frequently used units off for personal purposes even for the day, especially when he and Coulson spent most of the rest of the day chasing down leads on Daisy.

His eyes widened as he got a whiff of shampoo he knew wasn't his. He picked up a larger piece out of the box for all appearances examining the construction for fit, while subtly shifting his eyes across the flight deck.

Mack frowned. Why would Elena be hiding from him? It just didn't make sense. He was alone here and she certainly wouldn't be a bother. Sighing, he focused instead on installing the crankshaft assembly.

Over the course of the next few minutes, he'd made a good bit of progress, when he could swear he felt a fleeting press of a finger drag along his arm.

* * *

Elena nearly pouted, as the man seriously was trying her patience. Did he really not even feel her poking his well muscled arm? It was good that she seemed to have mastered some level of cunning, and found a nice hiding place out of immediate sight.

But he didn't seem to notice anything. For training purposes, it was exactly what she wanted. Otherwise, it was entirely frustrating.

Frowning, she moved again while he was hunched down over the open engine parts. She spent the merest fraction of a second more than she needed to blow a puff of hot air along the back of his neck.

* * *

Mack flinched, raising his eyebrows slightly. 'Did she just-?'

He mentally shook the thought off and pressed on with shifting the piece into place; he had to be imagining it. This room did get drafty from time to time.

* * *

Elena narrowed her eyes. This was the one man she did not like to be ignored by.

It was time to up the stakes a bit.

* * *

Fitz rolled out of bed as the humidity from her shower pervaded the room. He had hoped he might catch Jemma before they had to maintain professionalism, but was disappointed to find it empty. The scent of her shampoo lingered in the air, and would have to suffice until the retired from the lab for the day.

Unless they could sneak away for a few minutes around lunch. He smiled at the prospect.

He dressed quickly, brushing his teeth with vigor and barely passing a comb through his short curls before heading to the door. Balking as he picked up the tablet, the weight felt all wrong. Sure enough, Jemma must have grabbed his when she left this morning.

With a smirk, he puzzled how best to slip it to her without alerting any of their full lab of technicians.

* * *

May sipped her morning tea in the control room.

Her training methods might be more hands off anymore, especially as since most of the experienced agents now weren't as focused on hand of hand combat.

But if the slightly cheeky smile on Fitz's face or the growing hickey of Mack's neck were any indication, Simmons and Elena still had a long way to go in order to master subtlety.

Notes:

This plot bunny needed to be committed to electronic paper so I can get to my other works.

Looking for more? Follow me on Tumblr: overworkedunderwhelmed.


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